Down the Ravine
by Crowfeather's girl
Summary: The pain he felt was excruciating as he landed in the ice cold water, landing on something soft. When he came too, groaned, sitting up to see Carol beneath him, an arrow sticking out of his stomach,blood floating in the water around them as Daryl working franticly to keep her alive.


_**Hey folks, this is just some fluff I thought up. My friend actually inspired me, I think she'll remember what it is ^^ It's just changed a bit. This should be a short fic, not too long. Just some fluffy stuff in my opinion 3 Enjoy**_

She was tired. Tired of the pity, tired of the looks she got from others. She was Carol, the burden. The woman of the group who didn't do anything, cooked and washed clothes. It was chilly out tonight, and the fire that she built was starting to die. They were camped out in a field. That's where they've been for a while, looking for a safe place to set up again, but Carol knew. No place is safe in this world. Even after death you still turn into a monster that only shambles around and looks for something to eat.

She looked at the strained face of Rick, who lay with his family now. Lori came to a conclusion that they needed to band together now, not break apart. Glenn was dozing with Maggie. They were next to Hershel and Beth who were sleeping soundly. Daryl was next to her on his back, snoring softly. He looked so peaceful as he slept, much different then the hard look he always wore during the day. Carol got up slowly, her footsteps not audible. T-Dog was on watch, from what she could see. He was sitting on the hood of his truck, looking towards the other side of the field.

Carol slipped by the cars slowly, trying not to make a sound. If she did, T-Dog didn't seem to hear it. Carol felt instantly better as she slipped into the woods. Her body relaxed as she stepped beneath the canopy. The wind rustled through the leaves, cutting through the shirt she was wearing. It was cold, her breath puffing out in a white cloud as she climbed through the forest. She heard a river rushing by, pinpointing its location by sound.

Carol leaned down, sinking to her knees. She saw herself reflected in the water by the moonlight that reflected off of the water. A tear made its way down her face, followed by more tears. She didn't want to come out to cry, she came out to be alone and her she was, alone with no else. The tears wouldn't stop and Carol's didn't try to stop. She cried for Rick, who was forced to be cruel and mean hearted when he was such a good man. She cried for the sake of her daughter, who didn't have a fighting chance when she got lost. Tears were spilled for Daryl, who had done so much for the group, only for her to turn around and basically tell him he had no honor. She sobbed for the fact that now, even if she died of natural causes, she would still come back, decaying and looking for flesh to eat and chew on.

When her tears stopped flowing, she felt better. Empty, but so much better. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, freezing when she heard something behind her. She whipped around to see a walker stumble out from the trees. It's eyes lit up when it saw her, and it raised a gray, dead hand, reaching out for her. The walker stumbled forward as Carol scrambled to her feet. The walker's face was torn on the right side and fresh blood was spattered across it's torn up filthy shirt. The blood was caked around its mouth, the mouth that was emitting horrible snarling sounds.

Carol got up, doing the only thing she could thing to do. She ran.

(Daryl's Point Of View)  
Daryl felt T-Dog prod his shoulder as he woke him for the next watch that night. Daryl opened his eyes drowsily, looking up. He could feel the spot next to him was empty and he turned his head. Where did Carol go?  
Where the fuck was she?  
"T-Dog, you see Carol leave?" He looked over to where T-Dog was settling down. He got a confused look on his face but shook his head.  
"I didn't see anybody leave." He admitted. Daryl felt himself begin to panic. How could T-Dog not notice Carol slip away? For God's sake, he was the one watching over them as they slept! Maybe she had gone out to relieve herself. Daryl doubted that and got up, reaching for a flashlight. Even if she was relieving herself, she should have told somebody where she was going.

Rick was awake now, sitting up so he didn't disturb Lori, who was sleeping soundly now, a peaceful look on her face. "What's happened?" He was alert now.

"Carol," Daryl growled, picking his crossbow up. "She's gone and she didn't tell anybody where she went." he swore he heard Rick sigh with annoyance, but he got up also, taking a flashlight. A shrill scream broke the silence, making everybody jump and tense.  
"What the hell was that!" Glenn rubbed his eyes. They had the same scared look in them as everybody else did. Daryl's heart jumped wildly when he heard the scream. He heard Rick come up with him as he made his way towards the trees. Rick had instructed Glenn to come and he trailed behind them as Daryl searched for tracks.

He found the tracks and followed them, hearing Glenn and Rick behind him. They came to the river where she sat down and they all saw her tracks leading away.  
Where the hell was this bitch going and why?

"Rick, you and chinaman should circle around." He pointed in the other direction. "We can meet in the middle." If anyone was gonna find Carol, it was going to be him. Rick nodded hesitantly, but led Glenn away. Daryl, meanwhile, followed her tracks. The cold nipped at his skin, burning in his throat as he took in a breath. His breathing became labored as he followed her. What if he found a walker, crouched over her, digging into her flesh. He shook his head. He was getting distracted.

He didn't feel the ground begin to dip beneath him until he stumbled on a rock, falling forward. The contact he made with the ground as he tumbled down the hill knocked the air out of his lungs and made white stars pop in front of his eyes. He flipped and tumbled, groaning in pain as a rock sliced his arm open. He felt his ankle twist in a branch as he fell and he felt weightless and he bounced was just like when Nervous Nellie bucked him off and down the small cliff and into the water beneath. This was just like it, but a much longer fall and more rocks skinning him. He fell into the ice cold water, landing on something.

Daryl groaned, getting up. He didn't noticed what he had landed on until he looked down. Carol was laying beneath him, an arrow sprouted from her stomach, blood filling the water around them.

(Carol's Point Of View)

"Come on Carol! Damn it!" A voice growled. The words were fuzzy and faint, like she was hearing them from the next room over. She felt hands on her chest, frantically pushing her up and down followed by lips pressing against her, blowing air into her mouth.  
"Damn it woman, stay alive!" she felt lips pressed to hers again as they blew more air into her lungs. Her clothes were soaked, with water or blood, she did not know. Her head ached something terrible, and her body felt numb.

She could feel herself slipping away. It was warm and peaceful, the cloud in her mind wrapping around her in a warm embrace. "No!" The voice said again, jolting her awake slightly, the warm, dark cloud vanishing from her mind. Carol heard fabric ripping, cold air stinging her stomach. The same hands were pressed to her stomach, making her writhe in pain. There was something lodged in her stomach, she could tell. She almost screamed when the same rough hands applied pressure to her stomach. The same pair of hands kept her still as she tried to move away.

Carol opened her eyes slowly. It was hard to keep them open, but the sight she took in surprised her. Daryl leaned in and pressed his lips to hers again, still pressing down on her stomach. When he pulled back, he began to busy himself with his sleeves, ripping them off with his knife. Carol felt herself shaking, from the kiss, or from the pain, she didn't know. He sat her up slightly and she took in a sharp breath at the pain she was feeling. He wrapped the tied sleeves around her just where the arrow was coming out of her stomach. He knotted it, laying her back down. She let out a strangled cry of pain. The pain that gripped her as she lay there made it almost impossible to breathe.

Her pants were covered in blood and her shirt was ripped up. Carol tried to remember what happened. She remembered coming this far and the falling sideways. Then all she knew after was pain. He laid her back down gently and Carol finally looked at him. His clothes were soaked also and he was covered in blood and dirt. His arm was oozing blood now, which dripped down onto the dirt she was laying on. She shivered, the cold rattling her until she felt like she couldn't breathe.

"What the hell we're ya thinkin' goin out alone!" Daryl growled. "Your fuckin' crazy!" He gripped his arm, which was still oozing blood down his arm.  
"Your arm." she murmured, placing her hand on his arm gently.  
"You should be more concerned with tha' arrow sproutin' out yer stomach." He sighed, looking up. How the hell were they supposed to get out of this death trap? Water trickled bye in the small pond beside them. That was where the river went. Where it came from, Daryl had no clue.

"This is just like where I fell, but steeper." He said gruffly. He knew what it was like the last time. Well, last time he had an arrow in his side. His thoughts snapped to Rick and Glenn who were probably circling around now. They were supposed to intersect in the middle of the trail. They would have to wait for them to find them.

_**A/N: So, how was that fluff? Think I should write more? Please, tell me what you think!**_


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